Who was Kwa Geok Choo, really?
The new monologue by Toy Factory Productions explores the perspectives and personal stories of the woman arguably better known as Mrs Lee Kuan Yew, say director Goh Boon Teck and playwright Ovidia Yu
Widely known in Singapore and yet an enigma to most Singaporeans — that is how playwright Ovidia Yu describes the subject of her latest play, Kwa Geok Choo – Singapore & The Story of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew. “There’s very little about her on public record, and this lack of information is precisely why I believe it’s so important to tell Mdm Kwa’s story,” Yu says.
“People who knew her described her girlish laugh and love of nature, literature and music. She was good at knitting and cooking and was close to her sisters. That there were so many sides to her is part of what made this piece so exciting to work with.”
Realised in concert with Goh Boon Teck, director of Kwa Geok Choo and chief artistic director of Toy Factory Productions, the play is presented as “a family love letter to all Singaporeans” and shines a light on the unofficial, human side of Mdm Kwa — as a woman, mother, lawyer and political spouse with her own convictions, backstory and personality.
“Mdm Kwa has always been defined in relation to [Mr Lee Kuan Yew], yet she is undoubtedly a key figure who played a significant part in Singapore’s success today,” Goh says.
With actress Tan Rui Shan in the lead role and three supporting actors, the play encompasses moments from Mdm Kwa’s childhood to her passing, and the major personal, professional and political milestones in between. Presented against a pared-down, almost austere set, the monologue is made immersive and multidimensional by including overhead projections of live illustrations and effects.
When it comes to an artistic work that touches on a subject matter of a political nature, it can be complicated distinguishing between private life and public history, but Kwa Geok Choo shows the power of perspective and of drawing one’s own conclusion.
“While working on this play, in particular, we were mindful about self-censorship because it’s a historical play about an important figure,” Goh says. “But beyond the technicalities, we also wanted to create an imaginative space for our audience to create their own story. That is the wonder of theatre.”
Read on for our interview with Goh Boon Teck and Ovidia Yu.
Kwa Geok Choo – Singapore & The Story of Mrs Lee Kuan Yew is playing at Victoria Theatre until 31 July.
What drew you to Mdm Kwa's story? Why had this story been on your mind for so many years, and what had held you back from realising it during that time?
Goh Boon Teck (GBT): Mdm Kwa is a missing piece of the puzzle of an interesting story behind Singapore's history, a woman whose actions and influence directly or indirectly shape lives in Singapore. But not many people know that, which is precisely why I wanted to tell her story.
It had been a dream to stage this play for almost 12 years. There were many ideas and opportunities, but it’s not easy to create a production about the inspiring Mdm Kwa. It never happened until now because there were many variables to consider - we needed courage, the right team, and energy to stage a play about her. It cannot be done on a whim, which is why it took so long for us to prepare.
How did your artistic style and choices shape how the play was crafted?
GBT: We wanted to portray her beyond the one-dimensional, stoic character we think we know. Everyone has their own expectation of a historical figure like Mdm Kwa, but wherever there were facts that Ovidia could find from her research, we were as accurate as possible.
Although Mdm Kwa is so widely known, most don't actually know much about her. Despite her achievements, there is little about her on public records. As a team, we had to go out and talk to children of people who knew her. Mdm Kwa was different things to different people, even to herself. Hence, we felt that there was no one angle to take because everyone saw her differently. It was more of how people reacted to Mdm Kwa and most of all, how it must have been to be herself in that time, changing so many things. Ultimately, this play is staged in a way that pays tribute to Mdm Kwa’s life and achievements, to bring forth a part of history often overlooked.
Why the choice of a monologue in particular? What does it express that's unique to this format?
Ovidia Yu (OY): Since we wanted to focus on Mdm Kwa, we decided to turn this inside out and put her in the spotlight instead — with men playing the supporting roles. A monologue from her point of view also seemed perfect for highlighting her different facets against a backdrop of the events she influenced.
GBT: The creative direction that I’ve envisioned for this show is physically and emotionally demanding. But I still went ahead and chose to stage it as a monologue because Mdm Kwa is someone who is strong-willed and awe-inspiring in so many ways. She created many things we now take for granted, which explains why I wanted to give her a stage of her own.
Casting a young Singaporean actress like Tan Rui Shan in this role was also a conscious choice. I believe that Rui Shan would be able to connect with the audiences of the current and younger generation, and they would then take away the wisdom and tenacity that Mdm Kwa embodies to continue to break boundaries.
What were the challenges of condensing a life story into 90 minutes, especially when the subject is so high profile?
OY: It's not easy writing about a historical figure like Mdm Kwa. A big challenge was digging for information. Throughout her life, Mdm Kwa was a very private person who played a supportive role to a man in a very public position.
The greatest challenge was deciding what to leave out! We could have filled three hours with the material we eventually put together. But since one of the goals was to create an accessible portrait of a down-to-earth, accessible woman, we tried to present her as she would have liked to be seen. And that’s also why the monologue format worked so well.
Much of the most touching information I found came from her daughter Lee Wei Ling’s newspaper articles, as well as memories and anecdotes shared by people whose parents had known or interacted with Mdm Kwa. We also speculated a little and tried to imagine how she must have felt during some of the historical events. I strung all of that together, anchored all the variable facts, and tried to find a way to link them.
How has producing Kwa Geok Choo changed you as a person and an artist?
OY: I’m a bigger fan of Mdm Kwa now than before I started researching her for this play! The Singapore we live in today is part of her legacy. I hope we will come to see her as more than the woman in a cheongsam two steps behind Mr Lee. She didn’t blindly accept outdated authority and regulations. She supported overthrowing British colonial rule and tearing down discrimination against women in the home and workplace. I believe what she did will continue to inspire me in my life and work.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
